Story behind the salute

By ANDREA DRUSCH

11/24/2013 11:34 AM EST

The famous salute John F. Kennedy Jr. gave during his father’s funeral procession 50 years ago was no accident, a former Secret Service agent says.

Clint Hill, the Secret Service Agent assigned to Jackie Kennedy, said said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" the younger Kennedy had been working on a proper military salute for months, following his mother’s request that he accompany his father on a visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Kennedy wanted her son to learn the salute so that he could perform it alongside military members during the visit. But he struggled and wanted to use his left hand. He did it perfectly on the day of the visit, but continued to struggle afterwards.

On the morning of the funeral, Hill said Kennedy was again working on the salute, as Secret Service agents tried to keep the rambunctious boy occupied. A Marine colonel saw the scene and in eight seconds taught the boy the proper salute that he performed in front of his father’s casket just after that.